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Middleboro
Middleboro is a district of Xanopolis located just West of Kingsboro Middleboro If Xanopolis is a city at the cross-roads of highway and nautical trade, Middleboro is the cross-roads of Xanopolis. Neighboring Kingsboro, Northboro, The Docks, The Servant Ghetto, and Museum District makes Middleboro a natural mixing pot of all aspects of Xanopolis society. Middleboro is the district where the son of a lord could be found in the same social circle as a successful merchant looking to enter politics or even a gang leader trying for legitimacy. The defining characteristic of Middleboro society is competition; competition to become both literally and figuratively closer to living life in the peace and luxury of Kingsboro. Before achieving that life of luxury a prospective lord must prove themselves worthy of the king's appointment to office by navigating the politics, partnerships, double-crosses, and violence that marks life within Middleboro. Social standing within Middleboro is easily measured. Those entering - or about to exit - life in Middleboro live on the borders of the lesser neighboring boroughs. Those at the top of Middleboro society live in the homes neighboring Kingsboro. In between are 37 strata of homes that mark the shades of power and influence their resident's posses. Middleboro residents are quick to acknowledge the superiority of Kingsboro residents and the inferiority of the residents of the other boroughs. However, when those within Middleboro judge other Middelboro residents, your address is more important than your name. Knowing that the person you just met is from a higher strata rather than a lower strata is the difference between measuring them for exploitable chinks in their armor rather than watching for a dagger in your back. Most Middleboro residents are unlikely to stay at the same stratus for more than half a year. If they have failed to move up in 3-4 months they quickly become recognized as a target and end up moving down. Most residents shift strata 4-6 times in a year. In extreme cases a resident has been known to shift ten times in a year. The only exception to this is the top stratus where powerful individuals have held onto their spot for several years awaiting promotion to lord. It often takes around a decade to reach the top stratus. At that point the resident is subject to opportunity and the king's whim before they receive their lordship. Often a promotion to lord occurs about once a year. In rare cases though five years have passed between promotions. In such cases it takes a particularly savvy individual to hold his position long enough to exit the borough successfully. The Mayor The borough is governed by it's mayor who is a resident of neighboring Kingsboro. This is among the lowest of lordships appointed by the king and is frequently a lord recently promoted from the top stratus of Middleboro. The mayor's job is simple. Keep the strife within Middleboro hidden within the parties, sowing circles, and card games and prevent it from escalating into small wars. Having power in this borough makes the mayor a constant target of bribery but the king expects the lords to rise above this behavior. That is the behavior for Middleboro residents, not a lord. Staying above corruption and keeping the strife at acceptable levels will result in a choice appointment when one is available. Succumbing to the corruption or failing to control his charge will result in the mayor receiving a poor position like mayor of squid flats or worse yet being relegated back into Middleboro society.